Sherri Lipman McCauley

My art is an expression of my experiences with the people and world around me. I like to work extemporaneously and in the abstract. Bright colors tend to excite me, as well as geometry and asymmetry. I typically work in the moment, working with paints and dyes on fabric, creating serendipitous designs.

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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

I attended the SAQA (Studio
Art Quilt Associates) conference,
TEXtiles, in San Antonio, Texas early in
April. What an inspirational time I had. I wanted to share some of the
highlights with you. I served on the Special Events Committee, so I had some
insight into the amount of planning and number of volunteer hours it took to
pull this conference off.

It was exciting to be in
a room of about two hundred people who ‘get me’, if you know what I mean. I sat
with friends from Facebook in the flesh. I got to share meals with ‘rock stars’
of the art quilting world. I heard some informative and entertaining talks. It
was a time to connect with like artists and to share our thoughts, techniques
and experiences in an informal setting.

The hotel setting was on
the Riverwalk and close to many historical sites. The conference included a
variety of activities including, a cruise on the river, SAQA committee
presentations on regional energy through local connections and upcoming 3D
exhibitions. There were great breakout sessions from Miki Rodriguez (Design
Rebel), Heather Grant (Best Practices for Professional Art Instructors), Lynne
Koolish (Back to Basics-Design Basics, That Is), and Carole Staples (TEXtiles
Gallery Talk). The Lightening Talks, 20 slides with 20 seconds per slide, were
educational and entertaining. My talk on “Secrets of Painted Threads” was fun
to put together, and a little intimidating to present.

During some of the free
time, I toured a couple of the Mission sites and ate some great food!

The spotlight auction
included over 200 donated pieces. The auction took in just over $22,000! I managed to ‘win’ two pieces to add to my
collection. Here’s a photo of the piece I donated -

“Orange Notes”, 2018, 8”x6”

I had a chance to attend
the rep meeting and gain insight into being an effective SAQA rep for my Texas region
and enjoy a couple meals with the SAQA board. I led a JAM (Juried Art Member)
photo scavenger hunt with Susie Monday. In a breakout session I listened as Lynne
Koolish discussed design elements. I heard Heather Grant share insight on
proposing class offerings in the quilt world, and I sat in on a critique
session with Judith Trager.

The keynote presentations
from Meg Cox and Jane Dunnewold were a great way to end the conference.

Meg presented “Tips and
Tricks for Giving Memorable Lectures Every Time”. She shared some personal
stories and included five tips: 1. Open yourself up wide to the audience, 2. Be
dramatic: good lectures are theatrical, 3. Humor is good: self-deprecating
humor is better, 4. Practice! Practice! Practice! and 5. Stage fright is real:
make it your friend.

Jane spoke about
“Standing Tall: Artists as Stewards of Our World”. She presented the seven
chakras and how we can apply them to nurturing our artists selves. Jane summed
up the seven challenges with her personal seven-line phrase, which she
considers her daily practice - 7. Stay in present time, 6. Seek only the Truth,
5. Surrender your will to God, 4. Love is the only true power, 3. Honor Thyself,
2. Honor one another, 1. All is One.

The TEXtiles regional
exhibit showed a great variety of Texas themed quilts. I had three pieces in
the exhibit-

"Triangled", 2016, 40"x40"

"Rescued Scraps", 2017, 24"x24"

"So It Flows", 2018, 48"x32"

Perks included a custom
designed conference bag filled with fun items and a great printed program with
all of the attendees’ email addresses. It was a great way to connect with old
and new SAQA friends.

Friday, December 1, 2017

I have curated a fiber show, “Celebrating Fibers”, for the Austin Fiber Artists(AFA).
Please join AFA for the opening reception of ‘Celebrating Fiber’ at the
JGallery, 7300 Hart Lane, Austin, Texas on
Tuesday, December 5 from 7-8:30pm. The show runs from December 4, 2017-January
22, 2018. A number of SAQA members have work included in this show.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

I had a great time as one of the selected artists at the Visions Art Museum for "Interpretations: Conversations" in San Diego, California. The show included a variety of incredible artwork. So proud to be included in this collection of talented artists!

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

If you are traveling to or from Austin, do check out my show in the West Gallery (behind the store - BookPeople) at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, near gates 11 and 12.

Threaded Journeys, ABIA, August 8 – November 1, 2017

I invite you to join me on the
journey from blank canvas to completed artwork. My design work often starts
with black and white marks, adding symbolic colors and shapes to reflect
emotions and events in my life. Pockets of intense color represent my interaction
with the world in which I live.

For the most part, my
work starts out as a pristine piece of solid fabric. The journey begins in a
dye bath or with discharge to create the background, then paint brush, stencil
or syringe, to add accent colors. The design may be a result of serendipity or
a purposeful application of color. Often, I add machine piecing, stitching,
applique or hand stitching to create depth and interest in the piece. Printing,
stenciling, painting, stitching, appliqueing and other techniques of fabric
manipulation are all involved in getting my designs onto the cloth.

Threaded
Journeys is a display of my fiber art that brings together a
collection of my techniques and methods. I like to work extemporaneously and in
the abstract. The simple line of a geometric shape, the blast of a colorful
line, or the contrast of black against white makes my canvas sing. Many of my
works combine my love of paint on fabric and geometric shapes, making the
compositions appear abstract at first glance. I invite you to inspect them and
explore the abstractions I have created. As you get closer, the detail, texture
and subtle color changes will become evident.

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

I have recently curated a show for the Austin Fiber Artists at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas. It will be displayed from May 22-August 31, 2017.

Many thanks to the artists for submitting work to “Packed
with Color”, the Austin Fiber Artists exhibit at the Austin Bergstrom
International Airport. Our gratitude also goes out to the city of Austin for
the honor of having our work displayed at the airport.

Fifteen artists are represented, along with the work of
two members of the selection committee. A special thank you goes out to the
selection committee members - Pam Farley (AFA), Sherri Lipman McCauley(AFA),
Cory Hurless(ABIA), and Brittany Fucik (ABIA).

This exhibit showcases the variety of fiber art and the
depth of talent in the Austin Fiber Artists. Each piece of work is 3D, unique and represents the distinct voice of
each artist.

The exhibit will be available for viewing at the airport May
22-August 31, 2017.